I am thinking about moving to Ivy Hill-above Park near 8th. Is this part of the neighborhood safe?

I find this neighborhood to be quite safe and comfortable, but I am pretty street smart meaning that I don't go out late at night by myself and I always make sure I am on the lookout and know where I'm going. I also make a point of being friendly and making eye contact. I know young women such as myself have always been taught not to do this in the big city, but I have found that shows that I am confident and self-assured (maybe it's the mace in my pocket?).

When my husband and I first moved to the West Oakland/Emeryville border we were told it was unsafe and "crazy", but we have had nothing but a pleasant experience for over a year. There are a lot of homeless people who, in my experience, are harmless.

Overall, the Ivy Hill neighborhood is gorgeous and surrounded by lots of foliage and friendly people. I'm looking forward to moving there soon!

I absolutely love this neighborhood and cannot recommend it highly enough. It's less walkable than I would like (meaning it takes me 15 minutes instead of five to walk to the grocery store), but it's quieter and calmer than more urban places in the city.

The nearest murders in the last six months were down on 14th Ave. nearly a mile away. There have only been a couple of assaults on Ivy itself although the farther south you go the more assaults you get. There have however been a fair number of burglaries and robberies in the area.

Basically, I would say that this is a relatively safe area for Oakland, but that you should still remember you are in the big city and act accordingly. Don't go out alone late at night, pay attention to your surroundings, and don't keep windows open. The usual sort of precautions for city living. It is a nice spot up by Lake Merritt however, and I wouldn't want to discourage you from it.

If you want to check it out for yourself take a look at the website, www.crimemapping.com. Good luck.